Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-03-22

Talk about "wassing the .w y
What DO you ikiak. dear reader. Of the
'~sgsiss" required to extract the arc.
matte qualities from three hundred and
6f,y 10 four handrsd tors Of spruce gum
in = single year.
Few people. even Ia this native land
Of The spruce. who bay and chew the in
nocsu, cud. have any conception Of the
gigAn'ic proportions q the business which
that cld ard their own chewing repre-
seats. Where DID il come FROM Who
gAitevd IA Who rhned Il Who
~nppsd l. in The bi, Of tissue paper
Hos much dos IL take 10 supply the
gum ehewtr, I. Il al one Kind With
,isw % answering thee ard other
questions Ia connection With the chew
iag gum Industry. the DEsccHAr re-
csnily Interviewed one of the largest
deaisfs 10 ne business. NJ. A. o. Reed.
% Byoa. Oxford County. Maine.
II Rave ben engaged 10 the busins"
~ gathering and selling spruce gum for
twelve YEAR. .sy, Mr Reed. "snd when
I commenced. three hundred pound. IN
ore ssasoa as considered bis 'take.
Ttis ,stsol shall oollec, fifteen tons
q he "a ggm. and Il woaf tsg's %
rsprlY ~ cafomcrs o." Mr.. Reed Is Al
present employing between thirty aud
i1'iy uea. ~to ate irsmping through
he ~ill woods Of Northern Oxford
C1ltiy. 18th b,gs on their backs collect
irr ihe sriuce gum Which his customers
sxp. @ upoa his coming. All afound the
gem COUNTRY Mr. X. has ArrAn ssmen,s
vrh thc ooanfry merchants 10 take The
sun i,'o ihsn stores and pay icf u.
largely In rnsfchandi.s. a. i the custom
~-h many country merchants in iakirg
esss from ihe farmers, exchanging gooi'
~ hem. s.d thea .ellisg the sgs' 10
.r-s lsrr. dealer Coz oa'h. - The same
prize psli ia ,ots, the merchant ds'iv-
az t.. p-oi' from The ale q The goods.
It.siss Natkte method q eaehanging
cuurolt.r.. ard eas'om well ss'ao.
I'tej wi;h ls'ge psrcstisge q the
coaniry ,iofe. OF Oxford Couniy II has
hr,n talented from the good cd day
stea uocty "a, "fe~ AL fAi btt~eea 10
tte,c rural communities, All he editor
sul miri.,,r we're expected % take their
psy In dfird spples. beans. AID other
pfolac', q ibe farm.
H4t~e wander from The gum ques'
g., Mr.. Reed collects the gam iion
it,,s county stores. al 10 May cases
fcm ihr gs'h-fsr direct. ard sells o. 20
be- customers Who are tis customers :
Wei. iis msa ~ho nsy,r male he ae-
eusin'atcs q Gum" Reed. II Gum
C,fusf. Byrcr. Oxford Couniy. Maine
tAs Neglected one % The important 'l'-
usn'. -hich ~ % promote hArP'ns.'
ia tt.s ~icksd ~orld. Many Il b.. Gus
toner. afe Otfoid Beaf,. One diHin'
sui.h,d Oafofd County Jurisi. lsnd MI.
Reed issnes youio.sy roihins about tbs.
lr.i be- uistt t,sr q I'D psys about i've
dollar. = ysaf 'of etssins gam fo' hi' Pii'
vafe crrsump'.on. Bat The large Gus
'orrfs a's rot ihoss ~ buy iof their
o~- ctrsi,g. a. tte manner IN Which
'tey aillera'c H. Nil testify Oae
Portland frn bay hundreds q Poaai'
zach Year 10 rrdains. sdalisraiiag md
.r.lirs % dealers. They ~ill bay i've
tunlrci rounds u pure spruce gum. run
.n'o a b.url. cat The barrel a snd melt
90 i-'o mixture Containing one part
pure spruce al sven paris rssin. pat y
up In papers. pack II In b1Hs'; md tad
rr.iy s,is 20 ii Ia thi. aiulisrAisd form,
nskirg 're ions % The Eve hundred
poards received from M" says Mr..
Reed
Probably fsw Of The readers q The
DuoCEAr have an ileA q bow much
Gun D. t,ksn Ia the STATE q Maine alone
in given year. Mr. Reed i authority
f1r tts statement ths, there j. gathered
in iti. State alone. from forty Eve 20 ~.
~ tons Of pure spruce gum year. and
. larss par o. ,hi. i adal,srsied ~iih
rs,in before beias sold 10 the retail deal
srs.
"Ths amount. says Mr.. X. "is great
sr than cur trees can hold cut 10 pro-
ducs. sni car only Jas, = few years a.
itis rate. Each ~inief our men are
obliged 20 10 further into the forests 20
ssi their usual quantity. This winter
they a't obliged TO 20 about I've miles
further inio the woods. Asd lag out heavy
Bag, q gum On their backs. than last.
in order 20 gather The same quantity. and
they naturally wan, = higher price Tor
iaeir lshof"
"How doe. the deep snow Of the pre-
seat winter Aaeci the gum gathering in
dgs'ry ," Ne a.ksd
"Favoratly.' replied Mr.. Red. ",he
CATERERS are obliged 10 10 upon sros
shoes anyway AID this deep snow briggs
them Up % points on the trees tia, can
not be reached 10 al ordinary winter.
giving them. 70 = certain extent. new
field 20 wofk"
"Are the CATERERS employed The year
round ,"
NO. through the ho, weather Of sum.
msr The gum mslis and runs on the trees.
The gathering season lasts only during the
eight cool non,h. ofihe year, the water
being The BE-, time for gathering"
Mr. Reed. although formerly gather.
81 Of gum. and one Of the best guides ia
the northern woods Of Oxford County
and the Lake region. i nos employ ed Goa
tinually making ready for market. and
dispo.ing q the gum which Is gathered
for him. tie receives orders from every
~ters. because bic customers know that
be gives them only the pare article. lie
rshnes some Of the gum himself, ihA, is.
be mslis !, md pulls and cuts !, into
small sticks the process. being similar
20 that employed in making molAsse'
candy.
IL never sdul,ers,sd a pound Of gum
10 my life. says Mr. Reed. "And | can
show you that. even bid | desire to do
20. ], would Be- directly agains, my ha.n-
a -